Heads of the border agencies of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan banned the use of firearms against civilians, the press service of the Government of Kyrgyzstan said.

The Kyrgyz PM Sapar Isakov met on 11 April with the chief of the Kyrgyz Border Service Ularbek Sharsheyev.

Ularbek Sharsheyev briefed the Kyrgyz Prime Minister about the outcomes of the meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the Service-Commander of the Border Guards of the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, Major-General Ruslan Mirzayev, to discuss the incident on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border near Mamai town of Kerben, Aksy District, Jalal-Abad Oblast, which took place on 7 April 2018, when the border guards of Uzbekistan killed a Kyrgyz citizen, F.M., 33..

Ularbek Sharsheev said that pursuant to the agreement between the Prime Ministers of the two countries, a meeting was convened on Monday with the head of the Uzbek border agency in Zarkent village of in Namangan province (Uzbekistan).

In addition, the border delegations of the two countries, together with the mayors and law enforcement officers of the border regions, inspected the place of the incident in Mamai village (Kyrgyzstan).

Joint working group comprising the border agencies, mayors, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and registration (cadastral) services of border territories of the two countries was formed following the meeting, to conduct objective investigation of the incident.

According to Ularbek Sharsheev, the Uzbek side expressed readiness for close cooperation at the level of the heads of border agencies, as well as for an objective investigation of two incidents that occurred year to date. An agreement was reached to review the possible problems on the state border in the spirit of good-neighborly and friendly relations.

In addition, during the meeting, heads of departments banned the use of firearms against the citizens of the two countries, except in cases of threat to life and health of servicemen provided for by the legislation of the two countries.

The sides also agreed to hold a joint expanded meeting of border agencies in the third decade of April, where they plan to discuss border cooperation issues, including joint exercises with the heads of the border units, agreeing the joint patrolling schedule, and approval of the new edition of the Border Guards Line on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.